These startling self portraits are putting North East folk in the picture.

The drawings, paintings and photographs have been selected for a prestigious exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery and posters based on them will also be displayed on the Metro from the end of the month.

Amateur artists from around Britain took part in Self Portrait UK, which encouraged people to express themselves on paper, canvas or video.

Dozens of celebrities also took part in the competition run by Newcastle-based company Media 19, including North-East academic Tom Shakespeare, supermodel Jodie Kidd and TV presenter June Sarpong.

Exhibition finalist Meg Colpitts, 61, from Elswick, Newcastle, had a very special reason to enter.

Months earlier, the grandmother of eight had been diagnosed with lung cancer and she wanted to make a record of her experiences.

"I was in denial about my illness, and it wasn't until my hair started to fall out that I had to accept it," she explained.

"I had such beautiful hair that I decided if I was going to lose it, I would get a mohican and become a punk. It was my rebellion against the cancer, I wanted to show it that I didn't care.

"I did it for a joke - my friends and family were quite shocked."

But Meg, who also suffers from arthritis, said laughter and fun and doing things like the picture were the key to her recovery. She is now in remission after courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

"I want everyone to see having cancer does not have to be all doom and gloom. You mustn't give up. A lot of people who get it shut themselves away, but laughter is the best medicine and my doctor has always said a positive attitude works wonders."

11-year-old Jessica Petty from Fulwell in Sunderland also impressed judges with her self-portrait.

The Year Seven pupil from Monkwearmouth School did the picture in art class at school, using a combination of her own painting and cut out features of Aussie pop-star Holly Valance from a magazine.

She said: "It was the first time I have done a picture of myself. I was really surprised with how it came out, because I didn't think I would be able to get the shape of my head right.

"I sat in front of a mirror to do it, and then used a magazine picture of Holly Valance for the hair, mouth and nose.

"I would like to have blonde hair like her. I really like art and I do a lot of drawing with my friends at home.

"I think I might do GCSE art when I am older, although I'm not really sure yet.

"I think self-portraits are really good things to do, and if people are worried they won't be able to do them, they should just have a go."

Nick Oldham, of Media 19, said: "We received a huge variety of self-portraits from people of all ages and backgrounds across the region - from factory workers to a punk grandmother and primary school children to a retired teacher - showing the range and diversity of the people living in the North East.

"People in the region have really entered into the spirit of the campaign, reflected in the many innovative and exciting ways people have responded to the challenge of making a self-portrait."

Other entries from the North East that will also be on show include a video self portrait by Christo Wallers from Newcastle, a photograph of the ornament given to 94-year-old Winifred Lowden of Gateshead on the day she was born and a short film made by a collaboration of more than 40 youngsters at a school in Haltwhistle, Northumberland.